Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: kawacop1642 on June 25, 2012, 03:54:07 PM
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I'm wanting to get a set of these for my long upcoming venture. Anyone know of a place to buy them here in the states? I found a place in clai, but they appear to be packaged differently and advertised for $9.95. I'm worried they may be a knock off.
Thanks
Mark...... 8)
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http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycle/conc14_handcont/GPSMALL.html (http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycle/conc14_handcont/GPSMALL.html)
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I would advise Beemer Buddies.
THey are better than Grip Puppies.
http://originalbeemerbuddies.com/ (http://originalbeemerbuddies.com/)
Plus they have a new more durable covering that I would love to try.
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How well do the heated grips work with these?
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http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycle/conc14_handcont/GPSMALL.html (http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycle/conc14_handcont/GPSMALL.html)
+1 Great Guys, free shipping.
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How well do the heated grips work with these?
No problem, whatsoever.
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Thanks for the tips guys. I ended up going with the grip buddies. Thanks Pepsi! Looks like a better made product and very easy install, (no soap needed).
Thanks again for the help.
Mark..... 8)
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I would advise Beemer Buddies.
THey are better than Grip Puppies.
Plus they have a new more durable covering that I would love to try.
I bought a set of these and took them off after the first ride. I hated them. In fact, if anyone wants them, they can have them. Not sure how well the adhesive is going to stick after sitting in my garage parts box, but anyone is welcome to try them. I went back to my Grip Puppies and never looked back.
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I had a pair of the Beemer Buddies and after a few months they began to fray, but at that cost and every day use I guess I got what I paid for. The customer service was great though. At the cost though I would probably buy two sets of grip puppies. The heat goes through both sets fine and about the same levels.
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http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycle/conc14_handcont/GPSMALL.html (http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycle/conc14_handcont/GPSMALL.html)
Thats where i've gotten them also. I' ve bought 3 pairs over the last few years.
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+1 Great Guys, free shipping.
I ordered a couple of sets but didn't see "free shipping" being offered!
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The free shipping started recently.
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Their shipping rates are ridiculous on the express end. They must hate to expedite so they have some additional profit built in. Not that this is a bad thing.... just noticed it.
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most bmw shops has soft grips just like the grip puppies for about 11.00. I have been getting the puppies for years frm casporttouring with free ground shipping. they ship fast as well.
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Well I already ordered the grip buddies w/free shipping. Yes they were a little more in cost than the puppies, but hopefully will last longer. Less then 2 mins. after placing my order I received a call from a company rep who told me these are the new and improved ones and shipped them the same day. He also went on to tell me about the product materials and constuction. That speaks volumes for me as far as customer service goes.
So I'll give them a try on my month or so trip and let you guys know how they hold up.
Mark.... 8)
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you will be hard pressed to find beetter service than the guy who owns beemer buddies.
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Do the grip puppies go OVER the existing grip or replace it?
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Both Grip Puppies and Beemer Buddies go OVER the grips.
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The free shipping started recently.
I ordered the same date as my post!
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I'm sorry then it could be that he lowered the price of the items, but made shipping seperate. I had thought it was the other way around. He used to offer free shipping, but the price was higher.
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It looks like grip puppies have shipping, beemer buddies have free shipping.... the thing I didn't think I'd dig about the beemer buddies was the fact that they're a wrap, so they have a "seam" where the sides meet. That would bother me to no end. LOL
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Guess they lowered the Grip Puppies price slightly and started charging 2.70 for shipping. I thought they were like 11.00 and free shipping previously.
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Are the Grip Buddies thinner than the Grip Puppies. I find the Puppies too thick. Thanks !!
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Are the Grip Buddies thinner than the Grip Puppies. I find the Puppies too thick. Thanks !!
Maybe slightly but not enough to really feel the difference.
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It looks like grip puppies have shipping, beemer buddies have free shipping.... the thing I didn't think I'd dig about the beemer buddies was the fact that they're a wrap, so they have a "seam" where the sides meet. That would bother me to no end. LOL
Yeah, that bothered me too. I no longer have them installed; contemplating a pair of puppies...
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Guys, just in case you don't know...
I have used both. Here are the plusses and minuses.
Grip Puppies:
Good: Nice and thick, easy to install, durable.
Bad: If they aren't glued properly, the spin on your existing grips. They are foam, if it rains, mists they SUCK. They soak up the water and its hard to get it out. I don't buy them any longer because of this.
Beemer Buddies:
Good: They are wrapped on the outside with Neoprene, or something like it so they DON'T soak up water. They don't slip. They can be removed and even reapplied a few times.
Bad: The neoprene wears through in about 9 months of regular riding, but they now have a more industrial strenght version that is supposed to last longer. They have a seam that you must get just right so you don't notice it. Yes it can be done.
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They have a seam that you must get just right so you don't notice it. Yes it can be done.
You grossly underestimate how A.R. I am about some things... LOL
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They bothered me for a while too, then I got over it.
I didn't have to relocate the seam twice in the process.
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FYI on a new Beemer Buddie product.
http://forum.cog-online.org/index.php/topic,31907.msg191841.html#msg191841 (http://forum.cog-online.org/index.php/topic,31907.msg191841.html#msg191841)
SNEAK PREVIEW :
We have on the drawings boards a newly designed set of Sharkskin OGB's which will be designed to be slightly denser and tougher rubber, while still maintaining the all-weather embossed rubber surface pattern everyone likes so much, and all of the other great characteristics of our existing sharkskins. These will most likely be called
Super Sharkskin OGB's, and will definitely incorporate the best characteristics of all of our grips, and will be as bulletproof a product as we can possibly make. More on this later. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thanks again for your invaluable feedback.
Best,
Dave R.
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How well do the heated grips work with these?
The grips do take considerably longer to get warm (few min instead of a few sec), but they work just fine once they are up to temp. I have had mine on over a year- no prob.
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Guys, just in case you don't know...
I have used both. Here are the plusses and minuses.
Grip Puppies:
Good: Nice and thick, easy to install, durable.
Bad: If they aren't glued properly, the spin on your existing grips.
On which gen? On my gen2 bike, they have NEVER slipped and I don't use any glue. In fact, they were quite difficult to get on.
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Guys, just in case you don't know...
I have used both. Here are the plusses and minuses.
Grip Puppies:
Good: Nice and thick, easy to install, durable.
Bad: If they aren't glued properly, the spin on your existing grips. They are foam, if it rains, mists they SUCK. They soak up the water and its hard to get it out. I don't buy them any longer because of this.
Beemer Buddies:
Good: They are wrapped on the outside with Neoprene, or something like it so they DON'T soak up water. They don't slip. They can be removed and even reapplied a few times.
Bad: The neoprene wears through in about 9 months of regular riding, but they now have a more industrial strenght version that is supposed to last longer. They have a seam that you must get just right so you don't notice it. Yes it can be done.
+1, however I never had to use any glue. Just a little dish-washing liquid to make the install easier.
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On which gen? On my gen2 bike, they have NEVER slipped and I don't use any glue. In fact, they were quite difficult to get on.
+2 No slipping and No Glue
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Got the Grip Buddies in Friday. Installed in seconds. Initial look and feel of the product was quality and soft, yet not to spongy. Outer covering is non slip. even with gloves on.
Took the bike out saturday for a quick 140 mile ride with some friends through the hill country. The grips perform exactly as advertised. With padded gloves on my hands fit snugly aroung them. The feel was firm, but cushioned when squeezed. They seem to be very durable. however, time will tell. They definitely took away the hand fatigue I was getting from the stock grips. The handling of the bike ( from the handlebar standpoint) overall, to me felt better. They never moved or shifted from the mounted location.
I give these a thumbs up, and would definitely recommend them.
Mark....... 8)
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Grip puppies, best 11 Dollars I've spent on my bike!
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So where can we buy Grip Puppies to fit our bikes?
The previous links are not good.
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I do not know about Grip Puppies, I have been using GrabOn Grip Covers since the '80s. Set on my BMW Airhead are about 15 years old, Goldwing the set is 5 years old and The Kawi got em 2 years ago. Work great on heated grips, no gluing required, no slip either.
To fit the Coucours ABS you can get them here:
http://www.amazon.com/Grab-On-Grips-Grip-Cover/dp/B00230P2E4 (http://www.amazon.com/Grab-On-Grips-Grip-Cover/dp/B00230P2E4)
Use rubbing alcohol to install, pour some inside and wipe the OEM grip with it on a paper towel.
Start pushing and twisting don't stop, wipe the OEM grip again if needed.
The link above fits the Concours perfectly cover the entire flat portion of the grips.
Alan
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To fit the Coucours ABS you can get them here:
They're identical to the grip puppies; just by a different name (many more companies sell the same thing). But if you don't have to cut them, then I'd get those instead. Even if you're super careful, the cuts will never be perfect.
And thank you for the rubbing alcohol tip. If they don't move, it's less messy than with extra-hold hair spray (liquid, not aerosol). I already have the hair spray, and with that, they're set for life. You could remove them, but only by tearing them apart. And yes, the heated grips work perfectly. And they reduce vibes transmitted to the hands. With a bike like the Connie with a riding position not exerting any pressure on the hands, they should work beautifully. That will be one of my first mods, along with a black-series TBR M5 with the P1 quiet insert, CooperDawg sport screen, radiator screen, fender extender, throttlemeister (heavy in black), and remove reflectors and 'kawasaki' letters from the side panels, and all that ABS/TRAC white crap from the front fender. Hope I don't have to mess with the seat, but will use the bike for at least 1K miles before rendering final judgment. Have a good one.
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I've been using these for a while now... much better than Grip Puppies... easy on/off too!
http://www.shop.originalbeemerbuddies.com/SMARTSKIN-Original-Grip-Buddies-OGB-AB-SS.htm (http://www.shop.originalbeemerbuddies.com/SMARTSKIN-Original-Grip-Buddies-OGB-AB-SS.htm)
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I do not know about Grip Puppies, I have been using GrabOn Grip Covers since the '80s.[...]The link above fits the Concours perfectly cover the entire flat portion of the grips.
Thanks Alan :)
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And thank you for the rubbing alcohol tip. If they don't move, it's less messy than with extra-hold hair spray (liquid, not aerosol).
Never had them move or twist, the only way to get them off that I know of is to split them open. But with rubbing alcohol there is no sticky residue on the OEM grip..
I've been using these for a while now... much better than Grip Puppies... easy on/off too!
http://www.shop.originalbeemerbuddies.com/SMARTSKIN-Original-Grip-Buddies-OGB-AB-SS.htm (http://www.shop.originalbeemerbuddies.com/SMARTSKIN-Original-Grip-Buddies-OGB-AB-SS.htm)
I have seen the beemer buddies before, my problem is where to put the seam that is will not bother me.
The foam ones are uniform all the way around, a little cushioning too. Never have had them get slippery in the rain, closed cell so will not absorb water.
I like my grips a little fatter than OEM anyway.
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Another vote for Grip puppies. I bought mine on ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grip-Puppy-motorbike-handle-bar-comfort-grip-reduce-vibration-Grip-Puppy-/380984934341?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58b478bfc5&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grip-Puppy-motorbike-handle-bar-comfort-grip-reduce-vibration-Grip-Puppy-/380984934341?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58b478bfc5&vxp=mtr)